1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera having a contrast-detection type focus adjusting system and a face recognition function.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional digital cameras with a contrast-detection type focus adjusting system (focusing system) which captures images consecutively while performing a focus search operation, i.e., while moving the focusing lens group along the optical axis thereof from a search start extremity, which is one of the infinite focus position and the closest (shortest) focus position, to a search end extremity (the other of the infinite focus position and the closest focus position) after moving the focusing lens group to the search start extremity to detect an in-focus position based on contrasts of the captured images, are known in the art. Among such digital cameras, a type of digital camera having a face recognition function is known in the art. This function recognizes one or more faces (human faces) from the aforementioned captured images, detects contrasts of the faces and brings all the faces into focus (into a depth of focus). This type of digital camera is disclosed in Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 2006-208443.
However, in this conventional type of digital camera having a face recognition function, in the case where the focus search operation is performed upon a face being recognized and subsequently the release button is again depressed half way after focus is achieved on this recognized face, the focus search operation is performed again in the same manner as the initial focus search operation in which the focusing lens group is initially moved back to the search start extremity (the near extremity or the far extremity) and thereupon moved from the search start extremity toward the search end extremity, and accordingly, it takes time to bring an object image which includes the recognized face image into focus.